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| Humans have lived
and thrived in arid regions throughout the world for thousands of years. Many of the great
civilizations of Africa, Asia and the Americas developed in areas not unlike the arid
Southwest United States. In this region millions of people enjoy a lifestyle made
possible, in part, by the hot, dry climate. Much of the building technology today owes its
heritage to past cultures. These ancient cultures worked independently to establish human
habitats which met the challenges and demands of the desert environment. Concepts such as
insulation, thermal mass, and passive solar heating and cooling have been employed to help
ameliorate temperature extremes in ancient Middle Eastern cities, historic Native American
centers, and more recently in Mexican adobe construction. The Desert House joins the ancient concepts with modern technology to create an energy and water efficient dwelling. |
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